Totoka River cold-blooded, hot-headed, I love it, I can't escape you

Backdated! Open.

Hydra continued on her journey. The sun was just setting by the time she made it to Totoka River, and the freshwater was a godsend. Her father had told her to avoid the poisonous well that was the ocean; it was beautiful to behold, but a deadly thing to consume. She was observant to her surroundings, and seeing no other near the waterbed Hydra made her way alertly. @Dirge might catch up to her, soon, if he wished to, but perhaps he had decided to go his own way. It became apparent to Hydra that she had desires of her own outside of Moonspear that she had never been aware of, not until she left—she wanted to uncover it, as much as she could, before her return.

Her muzzle dipped to meet the firewater, its hue a brilliant and beautiful red as the sun moved slowly downward. The cool water slaked her prominent thirst, and she lifted her head and released a satisfied sigh. Hydra's ears cupped backward as she looked toward the riverwater splitting off into the ocean, admiring the sight for a moment, before she surveyed the river again, seeking the best route to cross it.

ever since rosalyn had expertly ejected sandpiper from her role of leadership, she had been rather hot-footed and flaky. never one to stay in a place for too long (especially not a place where she had been roughly humiliated), sandpiper had informed smokestep of her intentions and had gone up along the coast with no clear ambition save for one: get the fuck out of ironsea.

she crossed the braided river at a slow lope, slowing only as she saw a wolf upstream lapping from it. they were a similar age, which was in truth the only reason sandpiper dared approach -- quietly she examined the woman, from the deep black of her fur to the captivating byzantine blue of her commanding gaze. she said nothing, but figured that given she was in the open, her approach would surely be noticed.

As Hydra's eyes observed the land around her, they locked upon a water-logged she-wolf who worked their way on bridging the gap that was made between them. To her frustration, she could not even see the direction the other had approached from to know her own route for certain, but Hydra recognized that at least there was a route nearby she could utilize. The coasts visiting rorschach contemplated her next course of action when she elected to offer the other the place she had stood; the bank, here, had a gentle slope that seemed to provide an exit. Hydra had moved through the rivers of Moonspear to know enough about that, at least, though none were ever so broad and so great as this.

The attention the other had, though, did not seem to be for the exit but rather for her. Hydra observed the other, now; she was a unique looking wolf, of the likes Hydra had yet to see in her lifetime. Hydra thought that, even soaking wet, the other had a pretty look to her, in a wild sort of way. From here, Hydra could not tell the others build, and wondered if the other would simply pass through. Hydra, for her own part, did not discount the fact that the other might be a wildcard such as Vaati and simply seek to attack her. Hydra kept this thought in mind at all times, prepared to attack should she have need to. But for now, she seemed open to the others presence, licking her chops as she peered back at the river. If and when Sandpiper came any closer, Hydra would return her attentions to her.

sandpiper's progression halted as hydra's gaze fell upon her - the silent way the stranger offered sandpiper the embankment in which she camped upon stirred a curiousity in sandpiper. she had not been bidden to take the mantle upon which hydra had been seated, but she felt compelled to anyway and bridged the braided river with an ease that suggested she knew well the tempest of the current.

when she reached the slab she pulled herself upright, a heavy of water wringing out behind her. the black-furred female was presently looking elsewhere, and sandpiper took the opportunity to study her discretely down the the notch in her ear that she assumed was from some sort of altercation. she took care not to allow her eyes to rest too long on the woman, lest her intentions be misinterpreted.

"are you looking for something?" she finally ventured, her ears at half-mast.

The other decided to join her, and Hydra kept her in her attention indirectly. She still surveyed the river, though had observed the path the other had used. Still, Hydra had not seen where the other had begun. One misstep in a river such as this could lead to one being lost at sea; Hydra had no such desire for her fate. So she observed the current, calculating what she had observed moments ago and what she saw before her.

Hydra looked to Sandpiper when the question was posed, and licked her chops before responding. The safest way through the river, she responded. Though Moonspear had rivers, none surged as this one did in intermittent areas. If she was thrust into such an area by the current, there would be no way for her to find her feet before she was fed to the ocean. For all of her strength, she recognized that nature would always be stronger. Do you pass through it often? Hydra observed she knew her way here, but she had to wonder if the way back was the same or if another course might be required.

oops is the river supposed to be super strong? LMAO thats what i get for not reading territory descriptions ever

sandpiper continued her sly studying of the female, though as hydra looked at her during her reply sandpiper was quick to focus her gaze unchallengingly elsewhere. while she was insufferable within ironsea, her rank and deportment (if there was any) ended at ironsea's borders -- it would not do well for her to cause yet another ill-fated scuffle.

she looked to the river noncommittally, as if noticing it for the first time. "that? oh." she grunted and offered a roll of her shoulder, accompanied by a wolfish grin. "i'm a sea-wolf. water is in our blood." as if that was explanation enough. "the trick is to listen and watch the water; you can hear the undertow - still waters can run deep and be just as dangerous as whitewaters. the other thing is to account for the drift. you don't want to jump into it parallel to where you want to get out. better to start significantly upstream for that."